In-car entertainment

Chrysler is hoping that a technology offensive will lure customers back to its brand with the unveiling of a number of connectivity and safety features that it claims are industry firsts. Most notably, the company yesterday unveiled details of an in-vehicle wireless system, which will combine Wi-Fi and 4G connectivity to turn its vehicles into mobile hotspots. According to the company, the new wireless technology will be available in future model-year vehicles and as an aftermarket option through Mopar, Chrysler's service arm, by the end of this year.

Other technologies announced by Chrysler for its 2009 models include:

The neon-trimmed entry-level stereo in Sony's 2008 lineup might not match your car's color scheme, but with a price tag of just more than $100, the USB-compatible CDX-GT420U is a well-equipped system for those looking to play digital audio files from media players and thumbdrives. Check out our full review right here.

If there's something that even arch-rival Giants and Dodgers fans can agree on, it's that there are zillions of USB hubs on the desktop market. But what about for the car? For 12 bucks, Gadget4all is selling a four-port charger that can plug directly into the cigarette lighter socket for all your in-car gadget needs. Because you never know when you might need a snack or a megadose of aromatherapy to prevent a case of road rage.

As many carmakers try to outdo each other with cutting-edge technologies, we may be seeing a the beginnings of a trend to take accessories back in time, at least where design is concerned.

That makes sense, especially for those of us who appreciate vintage cars but can't stand the jarring appearance of a new digital radio ruining the aesthetics of a '57 Chevy's dashboard. Companies such as RetroBelt have figure this out with products like its "Retro Sound" sound system, and now Becker has done them one better by adding GPS features to a retro stereo … Read more

For a price of about $250, the DEH-P6000UB is a good-value single-DIN stereo. We like its snazzy design, its as-standard iPod control including its advanced features for navigating iPod libraries, and its many audio tweaking and customization features.

Read the review of the Pioneer DEH-P6000UB.

In a conversation with Martin Thall, the General Manager of Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit, he laid out a vision for the future of infotainment systems in cars, which included connected services supported by in-car advertising. Mr. Thall suggested that five years from now, car infotainment systems will be networked and provide the latest information on local services and traffic, as just two examples. This sort of car system should offer daily relevance, so that you could have it give you the best way home from work each day. Or, you could use local search to find a particular item … Read more

The connected car got a little more connected today as USTelematics, maker of the Voyager in-car IPTV/ media player/ web browser/ mobile wifi router, announced that it had signed up Sirius as a content partner. The deal means that owners of the Voyager will be able to access Sirius channels through a subscription, even if their car stereo is not equipped with a satellite radio receiver. (They will, of course, have had to invest the $800-$2100 for a Voyager system in the first place.) For Sirius, which has been struggling to get approval for its proposed merger with XM … Read more

We have Lincoln and THX, Acura and ELS, Lexus and Mark Levinson, and now, Bentley and Naim. Even automakers in the stratosphere of luxury brands feel the need to partner with an established audio company. Naim, a name you probably haven't heard if you aren't a hard-core audiophile, is a British manufacturer of very high-end handmade stereo equipment. Bentley's press release claims this system is the "world's best", but we would like to be the judge of that. All we need is for Bentley to send us a car.

To design the systems, Naim … Read more

Whether it's an acknowledgement of mortality or a desire to relive a misspent youth, many of us have acquired a greater appreciation of classic cars, or at least parts of them. And a few are even lucky enough to celebrate their midlife crises by purchasing one. But that's where a problem often arises: What do you do about those ancient radios?

On one hand, it seems disrespectful to replace the original equipment with a new stereo that looks completely inappropriate; on the other, an AM radio just doesn't do justice to a long drive in the countryside. … Read more